Sep 11, 2011

Clay Pavers over Cement slab and bordered with wood timbers are replaced

This week in near downtown Ann Arbor we replaced an old clay paver walkway that was installed over the old cement slab walk and bordered with wood landscape timbers. This was a cosmetic solution by the prior owner to dress up the curb appeal of the home to sell, but over the long-term this application was going to fail.

The old existing walkway was showing signs of distress and becoming unsightly. The cement slab below would heave up the clay pavers during winter frost and the wood landscape timbers began to rot & bow. Since the clay pavers were not set over a properly draining base, they did not properly perform and became uneven, loose, and gapped.

The new homeowner wanted to improve the appearance of her home and at the same time, remove the small step up at the city sidewalk that was causing tripping. The new homeowner wanted to use a style of brick paver that was traditional to the theme of old Ann Arbor. I suggested we use the most traditional shape, 4X8 inch rectangle, laid in a popular herringbone pattern. The outside edges are outlined with a soldier course border to "picture frame" the walk and prevent small cut pieces to come loose.

We removed the clay pavers which were in great structural shape and donated them to a local youth camp. The old cement slab was removed and the soil was excavated to the proper depth. The excavated soil was compacted, the base material was installed & compacted, and the bedding course was leveled and pitched properly. The new high density concrete interlocking pavers were installed in a soft curved design and flared at the city sidewalk.

This small brick pavers walkway is a simple and affordable solution to improve the appearance, safety, and value of a home. Front walkways are a integral part of any home's curb appeal and lure. Choosing interlocking brick pavers as a replacement of old concrete sidewalks is a feasible and economical solution.

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Interlocking Brick Pavers and Modular Retaining Walls

For the past 30 years, interlocking brick pavers and modular retaining walls have dominated the outdoor living spaces in Ann Arbor, Saline, Canton, Dexter, Plymouth, and throughout Michigan. Paver patios, walkways, driveways, porches, steps & stairways, pool areas, and landscape walls are an integral part of an aesthetically pleasing and functional landscape. As a hardworking and honest brick paver specialist & expert in Southeast Michigan, I have devoted my time to educate homeowners on the benefits of interlocking pavers, ongoing maintenance needs, and options for improving their brick paver investment. The purpose of this blog is to assist homeowners in making educated decisions regarding pavers design, installations, repair & restoration, cleaning, sanding, sealing, and yearly maintenance. Neglect by homeowners is the number one reason for future costly repair of paving stones. Interlocking pavers and modular retaining walls have endless possibilities when properly designed, installed, and maintained by a reputable brick pavers contractor. I hope that my many posts in this blog cover some area of need or interest you may have with your brick paver installation.